Retaining appliance for artificial dentures



Dec. l0, 1929. H. D. wlLLEY RETAINING APPLIANCE FOR ARTIFICIAL DENTURE-S Filed June 2'7. 1927' IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY" Patented Dea lf), `i929 HARRY n. WIL'LBY, on OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA RETAINNG ArPLiANcn Fon ARTIFIQIAL nnivrnnns i Applicationwled June 2.7, 1927. Seri-a1 No. 201,641.

The invention forming the subject matter of this application relates vin general to artificial dentures. Particularly, the invention Y relates to appliances used to retain the den- `5 tures in the mouth.. 'l y After an'artifici'al denture is completed, it must 'be fitted to the natural gumfof the mouth. Before theartificial :dentures are made, a cast of the natural gum is taken.

Nevertheless, the artificial gum ofthe dentures very seldom fits the undercuts and the irregularities of, the natural gum of the mouth. It involves a large amountpof' extra .y vwork onthe part of the dentist to grind the articial gum to a perfect fit. Meanwhile,4 the patient is caused to suer by the misfit i articial gum. l

An object of the invention is to provide a retaining appliance for artiiicial dentures which can be readilyl adjusted to the irregularities and undercuts of the natural gum of the mouth, thereby eliminating the alteration of the artificial gum to fit the natural gum.

Another object of the invention is to provide a retaining appliance for dentures which can be pressed against the natural gum of the mouth, thereby firmly securing the artificial dentures therein. l

A further object of the present invention is to provide a retaining appliance for dentures in which an adjustable pressure may be j exerted against the natural gum of the mouth and which can be used as a clamp to removably secure the artificial dentures thereto.

j A still further object of the invention is to provide a retaining appliance which is sufficiently flexible and resilient to prevent any rubbing or injury to the natural gum of the 40 mouth. 'j

The above and other objects inview will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which- Figure l is a perspective view of an artificial denture with the retaining appliance attached thereto;

Figure 2 is a sectional view ofthe retaining appliance attached to an artificial gum;

Figure Sis a perspective view of a removable bridge; and Y Figure 4C' is a sectional view of the retaining appliance as attached to a removable bridge.

The retaining appliance comprises a flexible plate 1 made of a verythin but strong material, such as German silver. trude from one side of said flexible late 1 .adjacent to the opposite` endsthereo The .iexible plate 1 and the lu`gs'2 are covered with a soft rubber cover 3. V'Said cover may Abe made of any other suitablematerial com- Lugs 2vprois to draw the plate 1 toward the artificial l gum 5. j Y

Set screws 7 extend thru bushings-8, ysaid bushings 8 being fixedly secured in the artificial gum5. Counterbores 9 in said artificial gum receive the heads of the set screws 7, while-the bushings 8 are threaded inside so as to permit the screwing of the set screws 7 therein. Extensions 10 on thevends of the set screws 7 protrude toward the flexible plate 1 and are adapted to vexert a pressure thereon and to move the plate against the action of the springs'. i

When the artificial denture is completed, the bushings 4- and 8 are vulcanized therein.

ing the plate 1 therein, The set screws/7 are .Then the springs 6 are attached andvvulcanized 1nto the artificial gum 5, thereby` securusl placed into the bushings 8 so as to extend to i plate 1. The springs 6 draw the flexible plate 1 toward the gum 5. placed on the natural. gum and is `fitted-thereto vby screwing the Set screws 7 Vagainst the plate 1. Y The plate 1 is thus pressed against the a natural gum of the mouth and covers closely all the irregularitiesandl undercuts ofthe natural gum. Afterthe set screws 7 have adjusted the plate 1 so that it fits tightly against thenatural gum, all the cavities of the Ydenture maybe vulcanized so as to prevent any foreign matter from being clogged between the plate and the gum or in any'of the cavities.

It is evident that until the' patient gets used to the Wearing of the artificial'identure, the dentist must gradually changethe position of the screws 7 so as to adjust it'to a vice may be used as a clamp by lthe patient himself. After, the dentureis .attached to 'the natural'fgum, the'screws 7are .tightened j uptopress .theI platel against the. natural vao' gum, thereby securing the. denture` thereto.V

lVhen it is intended to remove the denture, `the patient unscrews thescrewst7, thereby releasing the pvreSSure on theplate 1 and.

permitting the ready remval of thedenture.

is mostly adapted to be usedl on a sofcalled plate 4or artificial denture Carrying a full row of teeth. ,The retaining device, shown inFigf ure 4 is adapted to be usedinconnection .with

removableV bridges which carry only a limit-A ed number ofteeth. plate-12 is Covered by Va soft rubber cover 13 and isattached `to an i, artificial gum 14;V of a removable bridge by means of`a set screwk 15. The set screw isA ing Vthe plate '12 yagainst the natural gum.

An'inside plate portion 19 of the bridge may beso formed that when the plate 12 isjpressed yagainst the natural gum, the inside plate 19 drawn against the `insideof the natural 4gum, thereby forming `a complete clamp.

*The clamp heretofore described. eliminates 4the metal rings used at present for clamping the bridge to the adjoining teeth. Said metal rings-A contact 'with the porcelain of the natural -teethand thereby very often causing l lvthe injury yofthe porcelain.v Y "The exact locationand the number 0f the retaining appliances-on a denture must be Then the denture isl comfortable lit t0 the natural gum. Thewdef n y'tive tti-"said gum.

The. retaining device heretofore described determined` by the dentist, according to the irregularities and undercuts of the natural It is preferable to place the retainingv devices opposite the deepest undercut of the gum.

tion iinconnectionfwith a specific structure, it will beunderstood that I do not wish to be so limited,inasmu`ch as, in view of the disclosure, variations may be readily carried out by those versedin `the art, without departing from thesprt 0f theinventionor thescope ofthe claims herein.

What I claimas new and `desire to secure by Letters Patent' is: v

1. 'In aritficial dentures an artificial gum, a pliantplate mountedon the guman'd adjustable means'removablysecured tothe ar#V tificiall gum to move said pliantplate rela- 2.. In artiliial. dentures an artificial gum, a pliant plate, resilient means tovsecure said plate' to the artificial gum, and adjustable means to move'said plate relative tol the ar.- tificial gum. Y 3Q In'artificial dentures an' artificialgum, a pliant plate, resilient means to secure said pliant plate to the artificial gum,^a,nd means to move said plate relativett'ofthe artificial gum. 4. In artificial dentures an ,artificial gum, a pliant plate, resilientV means to secure the pliant plate to the-,artificial gum, land, ad-

justable 'means to press saidplate againstk they natural gum of the mouth.

5. In artificial dentures an artificial gum, a pliant plate, resilient vmeans `adjacent to the opposite lends of the plate to secure said plate to said artificial gum, and adjustable threaded means disposed in said gum between said 4resilient means to press said` plate againstthe natural gum. n'

In an artificial denture, `anartificial gum adapted to extend overfthe natural gum; means between .the'articial gum f and the natural gum: vfor gripping f the natural gum;

\ and means. onv the artificial gum to :resiliently space said gripping means fromahe inside faceof the artificial gum.

Y .7.In an. artificialk denture, an artificial gum adapted to extend over the natural gum; a pliantplatedisposed betweenthe artificial gum and thenaturalgum; and meanson the artificalgumjto resille!itlyv Space said pliant plate 'fromy the inside Yfarce of the artificial gum.

8'. In an artificial denture, an Y artificial gum adapted to extend over a natural gum; a pliant plate disposed between the artificial and the natural gums; and means to space said pliant plate from'the artificial gum.

9. In an artificial denture, an artificial gum adapted to extend over a natural gum; a pliant plate disposed between the artificial and the natural gums; means slidalole in the artificial gum for supporting said pliant plate in said position; and means mounted in the artificial gum for coactingwth said supporting means for resilientlj)7 pressing said pliant plate against the natural gum.

In testimony whereof I afX my signature.

HARRY D. WILLEY. 

